LG shelves new tablet development

As another new tablet “surfaces” trying to make its mark in the tablet market and attempts to compete against the mighty iPad, another is looking at doing the opposite. LG has decided it was time to put things on the shelf – at least for now. Ken Hong, a spokesman for LG, told Bloomberg that they would be putting the development of all new tablets “on the back burner”, for the time being.

While the company hasn’t said that they wouldn’t pursue it in the future, they’ve decided that they were going to shift those efforts and focus on smartphones.

Obviously their Optimus Pad tablet, even with its 3D video capture, is not doing all that well and it seems, other than the likes of Apple and Samsung, neither are others. In fact it almost appears like there is pattern developing here.

Back in January, Phil Robertson, the head of HTC UK, according to the The Verge, told Mobile Magazine that they would be cutting back on the number of devices they put out and as well take a backseat in the tablet market while they are at it, citing that the company was taking on too much and needs to focus back on what made them great. Sounds familar?

Last summer, HP dumped their Touch Pad after only being on the market for a month. RIM has not exited the tablet market totally. However they have eliminated their 16GB Playbook model and dropped prices on the others.

This is certainty a whole different ballgame from just under a year and a half ago. For those of you who remember CES 2011, tablets were the gadget de jour and a word on everyone’s lips; everyone and their dog and their cat too, were either announcing or unveiling a new tablet at the show.

Smart Move

Personally, I think it’s a good move on LG’s part, focusing on smartphones, where I think they will have better luck than taking on the 800-pound gorillas in the tablet market. But don’t forget, they also make monitors, TVs and other displays. Remember, there is a huge demand for Apple’s iPad and with rumours floating around that LG might be providing Apple with Retina displays for the iPad, LG may not be out of the tablet market altogether.